More than 10 SA public schools to start Term 2 without a permanent principal
MORE than 10 public schools will begin Term 2 without a permanent principal, as the Education Department is accused of leaving school communities in limbo by dragging its heels on recruitment.
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MORE than 10 public schools will begin Term 2 without a permanent principal as the Opposition accuses the Education Department of leaving them in limbo by dragging its heels on recruitment.
Of the unusually high 14 vacancies for the start of the school year — a situation that was revealed by The Advertiser in December, and blamed on lack of quality applicants and difficulty luring educators to regional schools — four are yet to be advertised and two are currently open to applicants.
Three positions have been filled for the start of next term, and recruitment panels have made recommendations for three more to start “as soon as possible”.
The department says the affected schools are a “very small” minority of more than 500, and all have had either acting or short-term contract leaders to ensure stability.
However, the appointment of Heathfield High principal Alistair Brown to head the new Adelaide Botanic High, and Adelaide High principal Anita Zocchi’s impending move to the private University Senior College, has created more openings.
Opposition education spokesman John Gardner said the fact some positions were yet to be advertised “should ring alarm bells” about the recruitment process and how undesirable the role of principal had become because of workload.
“We need to be giving principals more respect and more autonomy ... and have less bureaucratic requirements from head office, less meetings and paperwork,” he said.
Vacancies have attracted an average of four applicants in recent years.
SA Secondary Principals Association president Peter Mader said the department had used the search process usually reserved for executive positions to fill the principals’ roles at Adelaide Botanic High and Australian Science and Mathematics School.
Mr Mader said that “much more applicant-friendly” process, involving an outside recruitment firm to encourage and support applicants and ensure a strong field, should be used more frequently.
He said not all of the jobs could be advertised at once because of workload considerations for regional education directors who chaired recruitment panels for preschool and primary and secondary school roles.
The department said two positions were “progressing through the panel process” and should be finalised for the start of Term 3.
“The timing of advertising is managed by the (local) education director in consultation with the school community, considering local needs,” a spokeswoman said.